Digestive Health

You can

• Improve pH

• Increase energy level

• Balance weight

• Improve digestion

• Get rid of those pesky ridges on your nails

It's all about food choices and your digestion.

Digestion:  An Overview

The mouth, stomach, small intestines and pancreas are all capable of producing enzymes for good digestion if they are not overtaxed, choose good food combinations, do not overeat and do not eat nonfood items.  

Food can turn into poison if we cannot digest it and if it becomes toxic to the body. Undigested food sits in the digestive tract long enough to damage it.  As we have mentioned on other posts, the toxic residue can seep into the bloodstream and tissues of the body.  Cellulite, obesity and disease are some of the results of poor digestion.  There are more....it's a long list.

Enzymes will digest foods when they are properly combined, are 'real' food, and are not over-consumed.  Each enzyme has its own action, and only acts on one specific food type.  Enzymes which act on protein do not work on fats, sugars or starches.  There are specialized enzymes within each group to digest foods, i.e., sugars are broken down by maltose, sucrose, lactose, etc. Each of these sugars has its own enzyme, and one enzyme cannot digest the other type. Enzymes must also work in order. An enzyme can perform its work only if the work has been done properly by the enzymes which preceded it.  

• Starch digestions starts in the mouth with saliva and takes 2-3 1/2 hours to digest. 

• Protein digestion begins in the stomach and becomes known as amino acids. Undigested proteins turn into toxins; the result is the production of allergies due to the undigested protein. Ice (drinks, etc.) shocks the body and causes the stomach to stop or reduce the production of digestive juices. Consuming liquids with meals can dilute the enzymes and reduce the prospects for good digestion.  

• Fat is split into components by gastric juices of the stomach lining producing the enzyme, lipase. HCl also helps digest fat.  Fat is converted into fatty acids, which are broken down into glucose (energy).  Fat takes the longest time to digest of any food.  

Starch, protein or fat from vegetables are in smaller, more balanced amounts and are more compatible with either starch or protein for proper food combining.

Fruit is one of the foods especially made for the human body.  Those claiming to have problems with fruit and eliminate it from their diets because they think it's too high in sugar or develop a bloated or gaseous condition, when it's really the result of improper food combining.

Fruit must pass through the mouth, stomach and small intestine where enzymes convert it to glucose.  However, when fruits are eaten with other foods and the digestive track is not empty, the fruits tends to ferment.  The rule for fruit is to eat it alone or leave it alone.  Do not eliminate fruit from your diet since the role of fruit is to cleanse the system.

So pay attention to the signals your body gives you and make wise food choices.  A little discipline goes a long way -- and you can't beat the payoff!

LNH